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Counting Cells with a Hemocytometer

There can be tens of thousands of cells in one milliliter of culture medium. So how are cells counted?

The process requires diluting the cell culture, dying the cells, and loading the cells into a hemocytometer. A hemocytometer is a modified microscope slide with two chambers. Each chamber is divided into 9 squares. There are specific guidelines for counting cells within the squares.

In this video, we'll demonstrate the process of counting cells using a hemocytometer. We'll also work through some of the typical calculations that accompany cell counting.

Our hope is that after viewing this video, you will feel more confident and be better prepared to try counting cells in a hands-on lab experience.